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Prepare For A Wild Adventure With Finlay

Description

From Edgar-Award nominee Elle Cosimano, comes Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead—the hilarious and heart-pounding follow-up to Finlay Donovan is Killing It.

Finlay Donovan is—once again—struggling to finish her next novel and keep her head above water as a single mother of two. On the bright side, she has her live-in nanny and confidant Vero to rely on, and the only dead body she’s dealt with lately is that of her daughter’s pet goldfish.

On the not-so-bright side, someone out there wants her ex-husband, Steven, out of the picture. Permanently. Whatever else Steven may be, he’s a good father, but saving him will send her down a rabbit hole of hit-women disguised as soccer moms, and a little bit more involvement with the Russian mob than she’d like.

Meanwhile, Vero’s keeping secrets, and Detective Nick Anthony seems determined to get back into her life. He may be a hot cop, but Finlay’s first priority is preventing her family from sleeping with the fishes… and if that means bending a few laws then so be it.

With her next book’s deadline looming and an ex-husband to keep alive, Finlay is quickly coming to the end of her rope. She can only hope there isn’t a noose at the end of it…

Details

  • Rating: ☆☆☆☆
  • Genre:  Humorous / Women Detectives
  • Length: 368 pages
  • Publisher:  St. Martin’s Press
  • Release Date: February 1, 2022
  • Excerpt

Oh my goodness, are you ready for more antics from Finlay and her live-in nanny and sidekick, Vero? I will warn you, many books in a series can standalone. But in this case, you have to read Finlay Donovan Is Killing It for this story to really work for you.

Believe me, if you can sit back and relax Finlay will take you on a memorable ride. One that starts out in the first book with mistaken identity and branches out in this book to assumptions, deadends, surprises, and a hint of romance.

Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead will have you dizzy from the plot twists and the ending will nearly knock you dead with the cliffhanger. I’m not sure how Cosimano was able to pull her characters, Finlay and Vero, from the web they found themselves caught in, but she did. And it worked. 

Vero’s wild ideas will keep you shaking your head and chuckling. And I kept shaking my head and thinking, Where does Elle Cosimano come up with these ideas?! It won’t take long before you too will be caught up in the mystery that this crazy duo has uncovered.

My Concerns

The first of the story contained sexual inuindos and racy scenes that didn’t feel typical for the characters nor did they add to the story.

Final Thoughts

Without a doubt, this is filled with mystery, imagination, humor, romance, and a big dose of silliness. If you’re in the mood for a light read, meaning fun not uncomplicated, pick up Finlay Donovan is Killing It, and then quickly pick up Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Um Dead.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review an Advanced Reader Copy and post my thoughts.

About the Author

Elle Cosimano is the award-winning author of the acclaimed young adult novels Nearly Gone, Holding Smoke, The Suffering Tree, and Seasons of the Storm. Her debut novel for adults, Finlay Donovan Is Killing It, kicked off a witty, fast-paced contemporary mystery series on February 2, 2021 (Minotaur Books).

Elle’s debut, Nearly Gone, was a 2015 Edgar Award finalist, winner of the International Thriller Award, and has been nominated for multiple state book awards. Her more recent young adult thriller, Holding Smoke, was an International Thriller Award nominee and a Bram Stoker Award finalist. In addition to writing novels for teens and adults, her essays have appeared in The Huffington Post and TIME. Elle lives with her husband and two sons in Virginia.

Questions Answered

From Her Website

Will there be more FINLAY DONOVAN books?

Yes! FINLAY DONOVAN IS KILLING IT is the first book in a planned series. FINLAY DONOVAN KNOCKS ‘EM DEAD (Finlay Donovan Mysteries #2) hits shelves on February 1, 2022 and is now available for pre-order. Finlay Donovan Book #3 (2023) and Finlay Donovan Book #4 (2024) are not yet titled.

Can you tell us who will be cast in the FINLAY DONOVAN TV series or when it will come out?

Nope! We’re still very early on in the development process. But as soon as we have juicy details to spill, you’ll be the first to know!

Meanwhile, here is what I can share with you… The TV/film rights to FINLAY DONOVAN IS KILLING IT have been optioned by 20th Television Studios, and the extraordinary I. Marlene King (Pretty Little Liars) will be adapting the book for the screen. What does this mean? It simply means that a producer and studio love the book enough to invest in the possibility of creating a TV series, and they have placed a hold on the rights while they determine when and how they will move forward with the project. While this is all very exciting, we’re in the very early stages of the process, and there is a lot of work to do! No casting or network information is available yet, and this is the only information I can share at this time. Believe me, when we have casting, network, or production news, you’ll be the first to know!

If I love the Finlay Donovan Mysteries, what other books or authors would you recommend I try?

If you love your mysteries darkly comedic, consider reading the Stephanie Plum mysteries by Janet Evanovich, The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz, Arsenic and Adobo by Mia P. Manansala, Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto, and A Bad Day for Sunshine by Darynda Jones. If you like a paranormal twist with your darkly funny mysteries, check out the Charley Davidson series, also by Darynda Jones.

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